Chunky Monkey Smoothie Two Ways

Since I was a little girl dairy has been a huge part of my life.  When I was growing up, I drank milk three times a day and often asked for it at my snack.  I loved fruity yogurt, and I couldn’t dream of eating pasta without butter and cheese.

To be honest, I’m not drinking milk three or four times a day anymore, but I still love dairy.  I love cheese crumbled onto a salad or melted on a burger.  I can’t eat cereal without milk.  And my favorite way to drink coffee is with a splash of heavy cream.  Dairy is a huge part of my day.

Luckily, dairy is an awesome choice.  Milk is the foundation of all dairy products and it has protein, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D.  It’s not always easy to make sure we get all the nutrients we need, so dairy products seriously help with that.  I know for me personally I don’t love typical protein sources for breakfast or lunch, so I turn to dairy to add protein to the first part of my day.

Because dairy comes in many forms, there is something for everyone.  I love milk for breakfast and cottage cheese for lunch, but yogurt, cheese, and even whey protein are other options.  Find what you love best and incorporate it into your diet.  I bet it will be hard to choose!

Though I don’t make them every day, smoothies are one of my all time favorite breakfasts.  I also love them as a snack, for post workout fuel, or even a dessert I can totally feel good about eating.  My Chunky Monkey Smoothie is perfect for kids and adults alike, and it’s pretty versatile.

This smoothie is super easy to make, using only a few ingredients, and is gluten free.  As a smoothie bowl, it’s so perfect topped with whatever you love – nuts, seeds, fruit, more peanut butter.  And as a popsicle it’s super cold and refreshing, and it can also be made ahead of time.

I know, it’s a little scary to blend cottage cheese into a smoothie, but I promise it does not change the texture.  The smoothie is super creamy; the cottage cheese only adds all those benefits of dairy.  The skim milk is another dairy component in the smoothie.  It’s pretty much the basis of the entire smoothie since it provides the liquid that makes it drinkable, spoonable, freezable, whatever-able.  You can consume this smoothie any way you choose.  It has the same versatility as dairy!

Which ever way you choose to prepare this smoothie, you will love it!

Chunky Monkey Smoothie

2 cups skim milk

½ cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup peanut butter

2 bananas

Toppings of your choosing, including nuts, seeds, and fruit

Place the milk in the bottom of a high speed blender jar.  Add the cottage cheese and peanut butter.  Break the bananas into pieces and place into the blender.  Blend on high speed for 30 seconds, until smooth and creamy.

Pour into bowls and sprinkle with toppings of your choice.  Serve immediately.

Alternatively, pour mixture into popsicle molds or paper cups.  Sprinkle with toppings.  Place a plastic spoon or fork in the paper cups as a handle.  Freeze for about 4 hours until solid before storing in a zipper bag for up to 1 month.